exhilarating to drive. Even the base engine will get a 70 down the road

smartly while returning good fuel economy. The two turbos have more appeal

for the enthusiast driver, with the T5 being, naturally, the most fun to

drive.

Either transmission--five-speed manual or four-speed automatic--is a

good choice. S- and V70 buyers who opt for the T5 model can, at last, have

the manual gearbox previously denied them.

Whether normally aspirated cruiser or full-boost turbo road-burner,

the 70-Series cars are quiet at highway speeds. A harmonic-rich hum (common

to five-cylinder engines) is too muted to bother anyone, and wind and road

noise are kept to a minimum.

Improvements in ride and handling give the 70s broader appeal. Past

versions have been criticized for ride quality judged too harsh by many

testers; this was especially true of the high-performance versions. The

70s still ride firmly, but changes to springs and shock absorbers should

mute the complaints. T5 drivers may want to avoid bad road surfaces, but

the standard, GT and GLT versions are noticeably more comfortable, if not

yet as soft-riding as some competitors.

Conversely, the softer suspension settings seem to have had no affect

on handling. Both sedan and wagon are more nimble than their size might

suggest, and take readily to fast driving on winding roads. Steering and

brakes are both excellent.

Our tester, which we drove during a mid-winter trip to Arctic Scandinavia,

was a V70 AWD wagon, which adds the tractive benefits of all-wheel drive

to an excellent chassis. Even in Arctic weather conditions, the V70 AWD

felt safe and secure, picking its way over snow- and ice-covered roads

with considerably more ease than its front-wheel drive counterparts, even

when the latter were equipped with the optional TRACS traction-control

system.